Why You Need A Learning Community in Your Class (And the steps to create one)

A well-functioning community is an opportunity for support, connection and motivation. The learning community is not more or less.

If you want to provide your students the opportunity to enhance their learning experience up a notch, and also help you develop your business and expand the visibility of your brand If so, you're now ready to build the learning community.

Discover what constitutes an online learning community and the fundamental elements which make up the effective community of learning.

What is a community?

Learning communities comprise of people with similar goals in their learning that work together and interact with each other. In a learning community, interactions are functional as well as emotional. Learning communities allow learners to share information and resources as well as provide assistance, with emphasis on ongoing and open communications.

Here are some ideas to help you comprehend what is a learning community as well as what it's not!

An online learning network is or can become...

• A group of people who have common motives, objectives and values.
• A discussion forum online for concepts, challenges and other issues.
• A space for discussion
• A collaborative environment
• A source of inspiration
• An assortment of students and professionals.

 A learning platform online doesn't...

• A professional school or a committee
• A social gathering
• A jobs board , or a marketing platform
• Alternative to traditional education

If you're struggling to define what's an educational community, here suggestions will help you understand the difference between what it is and it isn't. Follow these guidelines to guide you in understanding the best way to create a learning community as well as what to do when creating a learning environment!

What is a Learning community? Four instances

The term "learning community," there are different kinds for learning community. The classifications are determined by the commonalities between learners and usually are based on the environment where the learning community is formed.

Here are four examples:

• Communities of interest: In the majority cases, communities of learners come together in shared interests or common interests. An interest-based learning community might take inspiration from sourdough bread or sports cars, or even something other than that! No matter what your passions are it is possible to create or find a learning community about the topic.
• Community-based action learning: Individuals who share a similar objective could form an action-based learning community which is built around activities that increase or advance their cause. Social activism groups that run workshops, develop educational resources and hold fundraisers are good examples of an action-based learning community.
• Learning that is based on community and location: For some groups, the common thread in these learning groups is place of the community. Learning communities that are geographical may focus on learning about the fauna and flora that inhabit the area in addition to the historical aspects of the place, for instance.
• Profession-based learning community: A common type of learning community focused on professional development. in order to bring professionals from a specific profession together. They may offer advice and opinions, or simply encourage each other. An illustration of a professional-learning community is jazz musicians who get together to share their work, provide feedback and critique, and also network with fellow musicians.

The main goals of a group which learns

Each learning community has each of their own goals that are built around the specific journey they are on. There are however a handful of fundamental elements of learning communities that help to create an engaging and enjoyable environment for students.

The main goals of a community that is learning:

 Learning shared

At the heart of each group of learners is an aim of creating a productive learning environment that assists learners reach their goals. A learning community is a place where students have the opportunity to share their experience in a group discussion with others.

The community members are part of the method of learning. It could include:

• Solutions for building
• Sharing Resources
• Criticism and feedback
• Questions and answers

This is the kind of steps that are taken in learning communities that allow members to collaborate and become acquainted with the content.

Connectedness

Apart from learning alongside others, a learning community involves forming bonds between participants. Learning environments that are successful have a collaborative spirit, with the goal of open communication as well as encouraging higher-quality learning.

Students can discuss their thoughts, connect with emotional help as well as have fun with one others. It's not just a classroom setting it's also a sociable environment for social interaction.

Assistance

Just like any training experience, there will be ups and downs. The most effective learning community offers support to members. It can include psychological and academic. They can also help one another out and also share struggles.

In addition to the assistance from other students, these groups of learners also provide an opportunity for experts to offer their opinions. They can be found in forms of mentors, coaches or course leaders who act as moderators within the group.

The help that learning communities provide students helps to facilitate more extensive and precise learning, it may help students learn more easily.

This is an Online Learning Community model

Online learning requires a slightly different model of learning communities for in-person learning and blended learning thanks to being entirely remote.

In order to promote cooperation and social interaction in fully online classes, students from the Faculty of Education at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology developed an idea called the learning Community model specially designed for online classes.

Their Fully Online Learning Community model was derived from the Community of Inquiry model developed by Randy Garrison, Terry Anderson and Walter Archer in 2001. The model is built on the idea that an learning community online requires two elements that include both: presence on the internet and cognitive Presence.

 Social presence

In the event that you join a brand new group, it's nice to display the real you to your fellow members so that you can build more of a bond that's greater. Your Social presence is measured by your capacity to show yourself socially and emotionally - to become perceived as a genuine person'. '.

Social participation includes:

• Communication
• Group cohesion
• Collaboration

If you're in an online learning community, it's difficult to be authentic while seated on a monitor. The internet is the main instrument for social interactions therefore it must be used effectively. The online learning community model considers how to improve interactions between group members and help students be more in touch with the other.

The Cognitive Presence

The other element of the model of online learning communities is Cognitive Presence. It's the portion that is learning of a learning community - Cognitive Presence is the capability of the students to be able to absorb knowledge and confirm what they've learned.

Cognitive presence is identified by:

• Investigating issues
• Solutions to be discussed
• Challenges and/or questions

The combination of cognitive presence and social presence are the two key elements for an online learning environment to be effective.

Tools to establish a completely online community of learning

To build an online learning community that's truly beneficial for learners, they must have the appropriate tools at hand. The right set of equipment aid in the process of communication and allow it to establish the feeling of people in the community.

These tools can be helpful:

• Software for video conferencing, e.g. Zoom
• Social media groups eg. Facebook
• Chatting software, such as. WhatsApp or Slack
• Online Community Platforms, e.g.

These tools allow students to effortlessly collaborate, including answering questions, discussing concerns, socializing during the morning and in.

What can you do to create a learning community in your course?

There are numerous benefits of having a learning community especially if you're a course creator. From improving your reputation as a brand to encouraging feedback These are just a few benefits to creating an online learning community to the course you've developed.

Increase your reach

Online learning communities aren't only used to remain connected with your students and to encourage greater involvement - it's also excellent method to increase your professional network. Invite members of your community to invite their friends to join in the community or send out updates from the group to friends.

 Increase the brand's visibility

A learning community is the ideal method to boost your brand reputation. If you have a community that is enthusiastic and engaged You can utilize it as a way for promoting your business. It is important for people to understand of the others who are taking part in the course - and your learning community is an effective technique to demonstrate that.

Spending time in building your learning community can allow you to increase your brand image and encourage other students to join your learning community. Wouldn't you like to belong to an enjoyable, welcoming and well-connected group?

Improve customer loyalty

If you can build a tight-knit community of learners about your program it can also increase the loyalty of your customers towards the company you represent. The use of a learning community as a touchpoint for customers can be a fantastic way to get repeat sales from clients. When they become a member of your group and you continue to sell to students even when they've finished the class.

Along with generating potential customers, you can make use of your network of learners to show current products to existing customers. It is particularly beneficial for courses that build upon previous courses' contents. For instance, you could allow students from your beginners' course take a step up to your advanced class next. It will not just provide benefits to your students, but it will also improve the profits of your company!

 Get feedback from students

The most skilled course designers know that the content they create to create their courses will always be evolving and there is always something new to create! One of the major benefits of creating a community around your brand is the ease to gather and analyze reviews from customers.

Invite students to submit comments and critiques for the course along with filling out regular feedback questionnaires. You can then make use of the feedback to improve the course content and make the learning experience even better. Students who are part of communities are more likely to provide feedback and are more likely to be interested in listening to their thoughts.

3 items worth looking into to

Though creating a learning community is not difficult, there are some communities fail to be as successful as other learning communities. Studying the reasons why some learners fail to achieve their aims has revealed 3 aspects that could impact the performance of the learning community.

Here are the things to look out for:

Too narrow a focus

It's great to set goals for your learners group. When a learning setting fails it's often because the focus of the group isn't sufficient. If too many limitations are set on the scope of an educational group the group may not have enough impact. The students have a variety of desires and requirements in relation to your topic. The learning community you are in should be able and willing to accommodate the diverse needs of students and encourage the development of these.

 Support is not sufficient

A learning environment is dependent on the help the students it gives. A majority of learning spaces require the assistance of a strong, friendly group of mentors as well as other members to help students achieve their targets. If a community of learners is not supported, this kind of support is susceptible to fail.

For more support and encouragement within your school's community You can consider appointing special coaches or mentors to assist students struggling. Additionally, you can promote involvement in the group through rewarding individuals who respond to the questions of others.

 Limited communication

In addition to the support provided by a learning community is the issue of the communication. In order for a learning environment to function it must be able to sustain the spirit of collaboration as well as cooperation in the community. If the group members lack energy, resources or time for effective collaboration, it's difficult to accomplish what the group's goals are.

The majority of course creators getting started on the process to create an online learning community is likely to require input from you or the staff members you have to establish the atmosphere of co-operation. Consider asking questions, conducting polls and even offering competitions for increased engagement and interaction between your participants.

To create a welcoming solid learning community is a process that takes the time and effort to organize. With the right tools and resources, you can build an environment that will help your students reach their goals.

Now you know all the aspects associated with the learning community. Try making your own!

If you've developed an online course, or are working on it do not be afraid to set up your own learning community to aid your students. These learning communities are an beneficial way to improve student participation and improve the overall education experience. There are also some significant advantages for branding.

Of course there is no need to limit you to a single learning community - you are able to establish multiple communities as many as you'd like or require.

Join our learning community specifically designed for course creators as well as sign up for the Pro Plan to get started in your learning community today!

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